


A World to Win

by clio_jlh



Category: Tuca & Bertie (TV)
Genre: Baking, Female Friendship, Gen, Labor Unions, Sex Work
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-17
Updated: 2020-12-17
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:15:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,162
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28122963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clio_jlh/pseuds/clio_jlh
Summary: Tuca turns her energy toward organizing workers. Bertie just wants to keep SweetBeak going. Speckle has a good suggestion for both of them.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 13
Collections: Yuletide 2020





	A World to Win

**Author's Note:**

  * For [growlery](https://archiveofourown.org/users/growlery/gifts).



> What a fun request and assignment! Thanks so much, growlery!

"Bertie, what do you know about unions?" Tuca shouted from the couch, apropos of not much. 

Bertie cocked her head, then closed her eyes as she made a (mostly) perfect twist in the new pastry she was working on, the cruffin. "Why are you asking me about unions?"

"After the egg incident, I realized that RealiTease should be giving me healthcare." 

"But you hate doctors," Bertie pointed out. 

"Aren't you on Bertie's insurance anyway?" Speckle asked. 

"Independence!" Tuca shouted. "And the only way to force them to do it is to start a union!" 

Speckle added, "Sex work is work!" 

"Well, you oughta know," Tuca said. 

"I"m not ashamed," Speckle replied. "I made $42 that day."

"With my virtual body!" Tuca said. "I deserve a cut!" 

"I bought you lunch yesterday."

Tuca nodded. "Fair. But that's just the kind of thing that we can fix with the union! Setting up rates for other people to sublet our in-game brands!"

"Wow, Tuca," Bertie said, "you've really been thinking about this." 

"Yeah, I figured if I can start a cult I can also use those powers for good! Also I read a book about it." 

Speckle took a look. "I think this is about onesies." 

"Same thing," Tuca said, shrugging. "What about you, Bertie? Settling into that sweet kitchen space?" 

Bertie nodded. "I have a lot of orders to fill this weekend so if you want me you'll have to watch the livestream."

"I love that you put in this big screen and the web cam. It's like you already have your own cooking show!"

"I do," Bertie said. "I upload a new video every other week. You subscribed!"

"I thought that was a private channel for friends and family!" Tuca said. 

"Why isn't anyone asking me what I'm doing this weekend?" Speckle asked. 

"Because the answer is always the same," Tuca replied. "Something something house something."

"That's not true at all," Speckle said. "Just because I'm working hard on it doesn't mean—"

"Speckle, you talked about nothing but tile for an entire month," Bertie said. "The bathroom isn't even that big!"

"Oh yeah." He rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, I'm off. Tuca, drop you anyplace?"

"I'm good," she replied. "I'm gonna go online and get my union on! Recruiting is gonna be so easy!"

* * *

"Recruiting is not easy!" Tuca banged her beak against the counter to keep from wailing. "Every time I try to talk to a fellow worker in the game they think I'm trying to steal their money. But I'm trying to _make_ them money!"

"Maybe you can try contacting them outside the game," Bertie suggested. 

"How when no one uses their real name?" Tuca replied. 

"She has a point," said Speckle, or really, his voice through the speaker at the SweetBeak kitchen space. He was video chatting in from the house. 

"Anyway the last time I tried to recruit people in person it got out of hand. I'm trying to avoid any pyres this time."

"That's not true," Bertie said. "You recruited all our neighbors to help me with the Molting Day orders." She sighed. "I could really use the help now." 

"Tell me about it," Tuca agreed.

"Why not do what I did?" Speckle asked. 

"Buy a house?" Tuca asked. 

"Buy a truck?" Bertie asked. 

"No! Hire someone. I wouldn't have made so much progress on the house without Rick."

Tuca and Bertie gave each other a look; the words "so much" were more than a little generous. 

"Also," Spencer continued, "people should be paid for their work!"

"I am not lending you any more of these union books," Tuca said. 

Bertie frowned. "I don't even know who I would hire!"

"I know," Tuca said, cocking her head. "And you do too."

"Mmm," Bertie growled. "I was afraid you'd say that."

* * *

So Bertie found herself back at Full City Roast, with an extra extra small espresso, at a table with Dakota, and she wasn't sure she'd ever felt so awkward. Small talk was already hard work but especially when you were trying to talk to someone who probably didn't much want to talk to _you_. 

"I, um, I saw the video," Dakota said. "My friend said the rolls were good."

"Thanks," Bertie said, not missing that Dakota hadn't tried one herself. 

They were silent again. Bertie tapped her cup on the table. 

"I—" Bertie began, just as Dakota started to talk, too. 

"No please," Dakota said. "You go."

"I'm really sorry," Bertie said. "Sorry that my problems hurt you, and that I figured it out too late to warn you like I should have."

"Thanks. Is—is that why you wanted to see me? To apologize?"

"Partly," Bertie said. "I also wanted to see if you'd like to work at SweetBeak with me. Not an apprenticeship—a job. I need help and I think we work well together." She paused. "But I'd understand if you turned it down. I just wanted to ask you first, before I looked for anyone else."

Dakota looked her in the eye for the first time since she'd sat at the table. "Just the two of us?" she asked. 

"So far, yes," Bertie said. 

"Can I have a day to think about it?"

Bertie blinked; she'd been preparing herself for a flat "no." "Of course, of course!"

"I'll be in touch," Dakota said. She hesitated, as if she was going to speak again, then left. 

But Bertie stayed and thought long enough to drink an entire large latte

* * *

The next Saturday, Tuca was also on the video call; she had too much to do to come downtown. 

"Wow, Tuca, you've had so many people sign up!" Speckle said. 

"I know! It's all from the Templates! Turns out there are a _lot_ of temps working at RealiTease on the side. They talked to their other temp friends, who talked to their friends, and pretty soon word got around!"

"That's great, Tuca!" Bertie said. 

"Yeah. Freed me up to do the big stuff. Draca's going to give everyone a deal on her services and we'll have our own WTUS chapter! Next stop, negotiations!"

"You're gonna _own_ them!" Bertie shouted, giving Tuca a video high-five.

"Yeah I am!" Tuca shouted back. Then she remembered to ask, "Heard from Dakota yet?"

"Guess I'll have to look for someone else." Bertie said, shrugging. 

"Please don't," said a voice from the door.

Bertie looked up. "Dakota, hey," she said, then felt even more awkward even though she wanted to be welcoming. 

"So I forgot to ask," Dakota said, taking off her coat, "what's your sexual harassment policy?"

"No tolerance!" Bertie shouted, and banged her fist on the counter. 

"She means it," Tuca added. "She helped us draw one up for the RealiTease union. You know, about consent and stuff."

"Then I guess you should show me how to make a SweetBeak," Dakota replied, putting on an apron. 

"It's easy!" Tuca said. "You won't even need the turtles!"

**Author's Note:**

> Just picture Tuca's RealiTease avatar standing on the light-up dance floor with a sign that says, "UNION."


End file.
